Guide

Getting started

Four steps from install to your first private conversation.

  1. Install the extension from the Chrome Web Store and pin it.
  2. Click the Privane icon to open the side panel.
  3. Go to Settings → download the local model (Gemma 4 2B, ~1.9 GB, one time).
  4. Wait until the model shows as ready, then start chatting.

Tip: The first download needs internet. After that, everyday chat and page tools can run without sending your prompts to a cloud LLM.

The side panel at a glance

  • Chat / Agent / Memory — switch modes at the top of the prompt box (Agent & Memory need Pro).
  • Vault / Workspace / Journal — tabs in the header for saved knowledge and projects.
  • Floating Bar toggle — turns the on-page selection toolbar on/off (Pro).
  • Settings (gear) — model, license, inference options, floating bar.

Hardware note

Privane uses WebGPU. Performance depends on your machine’s GPU. If the model fails to load, see Troubleshooting.